When Someone You Love Dies
A tribute to Professor Sheldon. A woman who shaped the woman I am today.
A personal share during Women’s History Month.
I’m stepping outside of the box this month, sharing a Light with the world on this final day of Women's History Month: my Grandma Sherry. My mentor and soul friend.
A girl from Iowa who attended Grinnell College in the 1930's at age 16(!), my grandmother came to Arizona in the 1950's and left behind a legacy in the education system in Maricopa County.
After teaching at Mesa High School, she became Professor Sheldon within the Humanities and English Departments at Mesa Community College, where she commanded the respect of administration and athletic coaches, as she helped keep athletes eligible to play due to her tutoring. (And, for those of you who are local to Mesa, her first office was the Salad Room at the Landmark Restaurant on Center Street -- MCC's small Admin building before the main campus was built and long before the restaurant took form! We ate at the Landmark often, and when we'd go into the Salad Room, she'd laugh and reminisce: "I remember my desk was over there, and my type writer was set up there...").
At MCC, my grandmother was also a founding member of the New Frontiers Program, a reflection of her passion for lifelong learning. And with a heart to help women, she also dedicated her time to ensure women and single mothers attending evening courses/classes at MCC could attain their Associates Degree.
When my Grandma Sherry died, someone told me that the spirit of someone you love lives on in you. I am convinced this is the case in my life, as I have a penchant for teaching (outside of a classroom!) and I have heart for helping women heal. And, amazingly, my practice is behind Mesa Community College. Sometimes, when I drive by the campus, I look at the large rose gardens where a rose bush was planted in her honor after she died, and I feel so connected to her and supported by her. (She was also a master rose gardener!)
My grandmother’s death was a gift to me and my life’s purpose, in that it brought me to my knees in the depth of grief. I lost a friend, mentor, soul partner. Yet, her death taught me that the soul lives on, and that in the midst of despair is actually hope and rebirth. Death remains a mystery to me, and yet I know that grief is very much an important part of living. It gifts us dimension, depth, and nurtures gratitude for what-is. And what-is is so fleeting.
There's so much more I could share about this change-maker and pioneer in her day, and a woman who profoundly contributed to the woman I am today. Thanks for letting me share a piece of her legacy with you. Here's to a woman who lived with grace and who lived deeply on purpose. I love you, Grandma Sherry.
Love, C
PS: If I can be of help to you in your journey of grieving and healing after loss, please reach out. I see you and am here to support you.
Christine Slomski is a Licensed Professional Counselor specializing in anxiety, trauma, grief & loss, chronic illness, infertility counseling, and women’s mental health.
Hi, I’m Christine Slomski, a Licensed Professional Counselor, EMDR Therapist, EFT Tapping Practitioner & Reproductive Grief & Trauma Specialist in Mesa, Arizona. I’m here to help you find your way back to Calm.
My work supports healing from within, using a Mind, Heart, Body, and Spirit model. I’m professionally and personally qualified to walk with you through the hard places, believing you already have within you the components to heal, transform, and thrive.
With love,
Christine